Charlie Brown’s best friend Linus has captured the imagination of millions of fans all over the world. No single professional group has probably found as much pleasure in them as those in the field of mental health.

The role of a transitional object is often to provide security, comfort in a world that is very often unpredictable. Even among adults, there are many who still have objects that provide comfort.

The more recent phenomenon of ‘constant technology’ may be seen as essential for most, but is creating a new generation who find it hard to imagine life without a cell phone. When out of range or charge, a number of parents report their teenage children admit feeling anxious. Constant social media updates with the now ubiquitous ‘selfies’ are the norm. Little planning or thought goes into it. It is an impulsive need to respond immediately that is creeping in. Technology has created a new reality that requires an alternative to the ‘blue blanket’.

Cell phones are no longer just tools of communication. They are lifelines for most of us and increasingly, transitional objects for ‘generation cell’. I often wonder, if Linus existed in real life, would he give his blue blanket up for the cell phone? Reality is now arguably in 3D – I, me, mycellf!